BIRDS NESTING IN FACE OF TURMOIL 203 

 The migrants, at the appointed times, auto- 

 matically proceed to and fro between their 

 stations, outside of which they have no know- 

 ledge or perception. The residents, by the 

 same ruling, are confined to their home sur- 

 roundings, notwithstanding " the noise and 

 bustle of war." If forcibly ejected, "homing " 

 instinct would infaUibly bring them back. 



This would seem the only possible explanation 

 accounting for the birds' persistence in holding 

 their own, and actually nesting in face of the 

 turmoil of battle. Moreover, it is an item of 

 evidence which strongly supports my con- 

 tention, namely, that creatures do not act on 

 their own responsibility, but are dependent on 

 the ruling of subconscious mind. The evidence 

 is important because unique ; no one could 

 have predicted what effect the war disturbance 

 would have on the birds, for never in the 

 world's history has there been anything like 

 it from which we could form a judgment. 



